The Basics of Dominoes
Dominoes are flat, thumbsized rectangular blocks that have one or more sides either blank (no pips) or bearing from one to six pips or dots. They are used as gaming pieces in a variety of games. 28 such dominoes form a complete set. Also known as bones, pieces, men, or stones, dominoes can be stacked on end in long lines to make very complex shapes. When one domino is knocked over, it causes the rest of the line to tip over as well. This simple principle is what led to the phrase domino effect, which describes a series of events that starts with a small action but ends up having much greater (and sometimes disastrous) consequences.
The earliest known mention of dominoes is in the Chu sz yam (Investigations on the Traditions of All Things), an 1120 CE Chinese text. This document says that dominoes were invented by a statesman and distributed abroad by imperial order. The modern game of dominoes was first popularized in Europe during the 18th century, probably via French prisoners of war who brought the rules to England.
A game of dominoes usually consists of a series of players taking turns placing dominoes edge to edge on a table. Each domino must be matched with another in such a way that the exposed ends of the two matching dominoes match (one’s to the other’s, for example, or 5’s to 5). A player is scored by counting the number of dots on both exposed ends of the first domino played. The total of this count is called the score or “domination.”
Other games of domino involve blocking other players’ turns or scoring points by laying a domino so that its exposed ends show certain numbers: for instance, when playing with a double-six set, two dominoes are said to be a match if their exposed ends add up to a multiple of five. The Inuits play a game with bones that is similar to Western dominoes and may be an adaptation of them.
In general, the more pips a domino has on its exposed ends, the higher its value. Therefore, the most valuable dominoes are the ones with all twelve pips on both exposed ends. Many different variants of dominoes are played, however, and it is possible to build up a large collection of pieces that have only six or even four pips on their exposed ends.
Domino’s has reacted swiftly to changing consumer preferences, particularly when it comes to takeout and delivery. By refocusing on its core competency – pizza — and making adjustments in other key areas such as operational efficiency and HR practices, it has been able to stay ahead of the curve. This is an example of what the company calls ‘fortressing’: maintaining and strengthening core competencies while embracing change. This is a strategy that is likely to continue to pay off for Domino’s in the years ahead.